Newman silent on deal for Caltabiano

Mark Oberhardt

CAMPBELL NEWMAN says the details of the contract signed by the sacked Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads director-general Michael Caltabiano, pictured, were a matter for bureaucrats and he is restricted from commenting on it.

The Premier was speaking at the Australia Day 2 initiative in his Ashgrove electorate in inner-north Brisbane on Saturday.

Mr Newman has previously said that he was originally keen on Mr Caltabiano's appointment, but he has refused to make any further remarks.

Asked if he had a hand in the contract negotiations, Mr Newman said those were matters for bureaucrats.

However, he did add that he had insisted that the payout figure in all contracts were reduced from four years to six months.

''We inherited that from the previous government, which had a four years' payout clause but we changed that when we got into power. We felt that was outrageous.

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''Instead of getting four years' pay Mr Caltabiano will receive about six months' and that is what we intended when making the changes - to save money for Queenslanders.''

Asked if there were any clauses in Mr Caltabiano's contract that prevented disclosure of any impropriety, Mr Newman said he was unable to answer that question.

He said there were privacy clauses in contracts that meant it would be inappropriate to comment.